The Golden Revenant
by James Tuddrussell
Summary: Naruto, a shy but kind orphan, wanted nothing more than to help people. So, he's going to train his hardest to be the best damn medical-nin he can be.
1. Chapter 1

The Golden Revenant, Chapter One: There is no friend as loyal as a hook

Naruto Uzumaki was a mysterious young lad, he didn't like crowds. He would avoid them at all costs. He had a natural talent for stealth and camouflage. He could move without a sound, blend with the shadows, and hide in plain sight.

He wore a simple green sweater, tan shorts, and brown boots. He liked the colour orange the best, but felt it a bit too conspicuous. He did wear an orange shirt under his sweater though. It was a tad warm for this weather but nothing unbearable.

He's been training for the past year and a half to be a med nin, the first step is learning medicine. He's been apprenticing at the hospital, mostly grunt work but it's informative. He'll be starting his ninja training at the academy in a few weeks, and once he's done with that he'll begin the next phase of his medical training: Medical ninjutsu.

Right now he was walking in the park, he heard a group of kids off in the distance. Naruto dashed into the bushes, and waited. He _really_ didn't like crowds. However, as much as he didn't like crowds... He hated the sound of someone crying even more.

He peeked out of the bushes, and sure enough there was a girl about his age being picked on. He debated going to get an adult, or waiting it out... But when one of the boys kicked her Naruto made up his mind. He charged out of the bush, and dropkicked the guy who hit her. He grabbed on to the back of another kid's shirt and yanked him off his feet.

He tumbled toward the pink haired girl, and grabbed her hand. The two of them ran away. Naruto led her out of the park, through the market, and back to his place. She had a nasty gash on her leg, and her breathing was shallow. "I think we lost them..." Naruto shook his head and prodded her in the side. She flinched roughly. "You're injured, I'll patch you up and get you some warm tea. No offence, but you look like you need it."

Sakura just blushed and nodded. They made their way to Naruto's apartment, and once there Naruto set her up on his couch. Sakura took the time to look around his room while he got his things together.

The apartment was fairly spartan. The only clutter was some scrolls, books, and the occasional ninja tool. There were some house plants though.

Naruto came back with a med kit. He cleaned out her wound, and wrapped it with gauze. He then told her to lie down and pull up her shirt. He poked her abdomen a few times in different places, then told her to breathe deeply but slowly. "Your ribs aren't broken, it's just the starting of a soft tissue bruise. Still, you should take it easy."

He gave her some aspirin and an ice pack, and went to fix tea. Sakura put the pack on her side, and called out to him "How come you know so much about that stuff?" Naruto called back to her. "Training to be a med nin, already rated for first aid. The first thing you learn is how to tell if something is beyond your capabilities. After that it's all identifying problems and solving them. Like I did with you just now."

After a few minutes Naruto brought her a cup of tea and bowl of ramen. "You looked hungry..." He went back to the kitchen and got his own bowl.

As they ate Naruto got a rundown of what happened. "I was playing in the park when those mean kids showed up. They teased me about my forehead, and then... I kind of punched one of them in the face. That just made them angry. That's about when you showed up."

Naruto raised an eyebrow. "What's this about your forehead?" Sakura blushed and shrunk into the couch. "I... Well, I have a big one." Naruto took a look at it, he poked it. Then tilted his head and squinted his eyes. "Nah... I don't see it. Are you sure they weren't making fun of your hair?"

Sakura puffed her cheeks out, and glared at him. "There is nothing wrong with my hair!" Naruto put his hands up defensively. "I'm just saying, pink isn't exactly a standard hair colour..." Sakura frowned, but then huffed and turned her nose up dismissively.

"I don't care what you think, my hair is fine the way it is!" Naruto smirked, "And your forehead isn't?" Sakura gave him an odd look. "That's different..."

Naruto shrugged. "Doesn't seem that way to me. You're fine just the way you are, all of you. Everyone's got something about themselves they don't like, but flaws are a part of beauty. An important part."

Sakura raised on of her eyebrows. "How are flaws important for beauty?" Naruto pointed out his window. A few clouds floated around in the sky. "Think of it like a sky without clouds. It's boring, all _blue_. Hardly a proper sky at all! The clouds add variety, substance." Sakura smiled at that. "Is there anything you don't like about yourself?"

Naruto nodded gravely, then lifted his left arm. A hook was the only thing sticking out of his sleeve. "I lost my hand in a _tragic _toilet accident." Sakura looked at his hook quizzically. "...You had both your hands earlier."

Naruto laughed, then dropped the hook he was holding. He was carrying that thing around for months waiting for the perfect moment. "Good eye!"

Sakura laughed. "So, are you gonna go to the academy too?" Naruto nodded. "I suppose I'll meet you there, right?"

Sakura nodded enthusiastically. "Yeah, we'll see each other all the time!"


	2. Chapter 2

AN: Time line is a bit different than canon, the Genin started the academy at ten and graduated at fifteen. Just to clarify. Sort of a fusion of Naruto classic and Shippuden. Mostly Naruto classic though.

The Golden Revenant, Chapter Two: Graduation

Naruto dropped out of the tree he was sitting in, and landed next to Sakura who was eating her lunch. Sakura had long since grown used to the blond boy popping out of nowhere. "So, how'd your test go?"

Naruto smiled brightly. "I passed it of course, now I'm a fully licensed field medic. I just need to graduate from this dump, and I can start learning medical ninjutsu." Sakura smiled at her friend. "That's great! Now, about that favour I asked..."

Naruto brought out his notebook. "What do you want to know about the target?" Sakura thought for a bit. "What does Sasuke like in a girl?" Naruto flipped through his notes. "Hmm, hard to say really. He just seems to have a general disdain for _everyone_."

Naruto flipped to the next page."He doesn't seem to have any porn, at least I've never found any when I've searched his place. I have also never seen any of the typical signs of... _activity_. Either he hides it extremely well, which is _never_ a good sign, or he is just not interested in that sort of stuff."

Sakura frowned. "What about hobbies? What does he do for fun?" Naruto flipped through his notes again. "He trains, occasionally takes walks. I saw him skip stones a few times, but he didn't seem happy while doing it. Angry, but also not angry."

Sakura sighed dejectedly. "Did you find _anything _out that could help me get a date with him?" Naruto shrugged. "He's mentioned restoring his clan a few times, but that's not _dating_ exactly."

Naruto sighed, and leaned back on the tree. "Just give him time Sakura, he'll come around. He's a ticking time bomb of hormones, just be sure to be there when it goes off. Preferably with a bottle of sake in one hand and a whip in the other."

Sakura gave him a weird look. "...What's the whip for?" Naruto smirked. "_That_, is entirely up to the two of you. It's better to have a whip and not need it, than to have to go out and fetch one. That kind of thing is a total mood killer."

Sakura just rolled her eyes and went back to her lunch, which she then noticed was gone. She just took a deep breath, she knew that Naruto was already long gone. She gathered her things, and got up to leave. Before she could she was stopped by Sasuke.

Sasuke seemed a bit peeved. "Haruno. I know that your pet has been following me, tell him to stop before I _make_ him stop." Sakura raised an eyebrow, she knew a bluff when she heard one. "He's been training for the past few weeks. It doesn't leave him with much free time." Sakura was a skilled truthsmith.

Sasuke snorted. "Training? More like playing doctor." Sakura scowled. "He's training to be a medical ninja!" Sasuke just shrugged. "Either way, it amounts to the same thing." Sakura groaned as he walked off, why do the pretty ones always have to be jerks? Still, the hokage monument wasn't carved in a day.

She'll just have to _make _him nicer... Naruto might have the right idea with the whole whip thing.

With that thought she smiled and walked back to class.

When she arrived she walked to her usual seat near the back and to the side. Naruto hopped in through the window and took his seat in the corner. He gave the room a once over, then pulled out his book.

Sakura asked if he saw what happened with Sasuke, and took her seat as well when he said he did. The Genin test started, and they were each called up to see if they could create the bunshin jutsu. Naruto and Sakura both left school that day with brand new headbands.

Sakura and Naruto walked to their usual training ground. They met there almost every day.

Sakura started her stretches, and Naruto took his sweater off. He was wearing dark green pants, an orange shirt, a leather satchel, brown boots, and several pouches. He tied his headband to his satchel.

Sakura had on her usual shorts, a short sleeved red jacket, and a grey shirt. She had wrappings on her arms and wore her headband like a headband.

Naruto cracked his neck, then got into a loose stance. Sakura charged at him and sent a powerful punch his way. Naruto bent around it, and pushed off her back with both hands. Sakura tumbled, rolled, then jumped back toward Naruto almost seamlessly.

Eight Narutos smirked at her. She took a deep breath, then began punching them one by one. She punched one, made a mental note that it wasn't him, then moved on. Her fists passed through the last one, and she frowned. "What are you up to?"

She looked around as the same eight clones kept circling her. None of them made a sound, and they all had a ghostlike quality to them. She watched their feet closely, and when she saw one disturb the grass she ran to it and punched. Her hand passed through it harmlessly.

She took another deep breath. She needed to keep her anger under control, she needed to focus if she wanted to win. Brute strength was useless on its own, at least against Naruto.

She stood still and thought carefully about the situation. Naruto stopped as well, his fighting style was passive and defencive. He let his opponents wear themselves out. Sakura knew for a fact that Naruto was amongst those bunshin. However her punches weren't working.

Either Naruto has somehow become intangible or... "Kawarimi!" Naruto smiled and nodded. "What are you going to do about it?"

Sakura closed her eyes, and took a series of deep breaths. She needed to come up with a plan. Hitting them individually didn't work, so she'd have to attack them all at once. She thought about using kunai, but knew from experience that he would just dodge them if he saw it coming.

Sakura screamed and kicked the ground. That blond bastard is so infuriating! The mud she kicked up splattered all around, coating the real Naruto. Seeing this, Sakura chased after him. Naruto dismissed the old bunshin and refreshed them. However Sakura managed to hit him just before he could switch with one of them.

The force from the blow caused Naruto to go flying face first into the mud, he slid a good ten feet. Totally drenching him in mud.

Sakura cheered. Sometimes anger _IS_ the answer!


	3. Chapter 3

The Golden Revenant, Chapter Three: Irony

Naruto was at a loss for words, he somehow found himself on the same team with the Uchiha. He knew he was going to be with Sakura, the Hokage tends to favour friends being put together. Teamwork and all that.

That meant that they thought the three of them could be friends or rivals. Naruto wasn't especially knowledgeable about friendship or rivalry, but he knew that respect had to play a part in it. The only thing Sasuke respected was power, and not just any power but specifically martial prowess.

Naruto could hold his own against Sasuke, he knew that from experience. However, he has never actually beaten him in a fight. Their matches always ended in draws. Sasuke could never hit Naruto, but he never gave up or showed any openings that Naruto could exploit.

Naruto normally won fights when his opponents gave up or were so worn out that they just couldn't fight any longer. Sasuke didn't have anywhere near Naruto's stamina, but he was far more stubborn. He was also skilled enough that, no matter how angry or tired he got, he never lets up his defences.

From an academic standpoint Naruto and Sasuke were more or less equally skilled in taijutsu. However, Sasuke has never once accepted Naruto as a competent fighter. To him he was just a weakling who used trickery and cowardice to cheat his way to victory.

Naruto tried explaining that, as ninja, cheating was a major part of their job. However when he brought up how the Uchiha were cheaters, by copying jutsu instead of earning them, Sasuke flipped out. That was one of the few times that Sasuke actually landed a punch on him, and it cracked a tooth and dislocated his jaw.

Naruto yawned, he'll deal with that bastard later. Right now he felt like taking a nap, besides it didn't seem like their sensei will arrive anytime soon.

Sakura whacked Naruto on the back of the head when their sensei arrived. He woke up with a snort and a cough. "Whazza?" He burped, wiped his mouth, then cracked his neck. Sasuke glared at him. "That was the most disgusting thing I have ever seen!"

Naruto smirked as he wiped his eyes. "Three words: Necrotic External Hemorrhoids." Sasuke just scoffed derisively.

Kakashi frowned as he watched this, he just knew that these three would have a hard time working together. Though if they pass his test it means they at least have a chance. He clapped his hands and told them to meat him on the roof.

With that he walked out of the room, the Genin followed shortly after.

Kakashi looked at them all. "How about we introduce ourselves?" He pointed at Naruto. "You first toughstuff."

Naruto quirked at being called out. "Uh, My name is Naruto. I'm training to be a med nin." He smiled awkwardly.

Kakashi shrugged. "Eh, good enough. You next girly." Naruto hit Sasuke in the ribs and smirked. "He means you." Sasuke scowled at him.

Sakura cleared her throat, and gave both of them the stink eye. "My name is Sakura. I'm training to be a skilled kunoichi, my speciality is taijutsu." Kakashi nodded, then gestured at Sasuke. "Your turn sunshine."

Sasuke sighed. "My name is Sasuke, I'm training to kill my brother." Naruto almost asked if his speciality was kinslaying, but decided not to. The day was still young, and he'd prefer to stay conscious for the rest of it.

Kakashi nodded and smiled. "Well aren't you all just _adorable_. I'd pinch your cheeks if I didn't think you'd bite me. Meet me at training ground three for... Well, let's call it a reduction in force. Long story short: There's just too many of you. So, we're thinning the herd. There are only nine positions to be filled, and frankly you have to prove that you're up to snuff."

All three genin glared at him. Kakashi smirked under his mask, and brought his hands up placatingly. "It's out of my hands. You've each earned that headband, now you've got to fight to keep it. Anyway, be there at the crack of dawn. I'll be waiting."

With that, Kakashi poofed away. The Genin looked at each other for a bit, measuring each other up. Sasuke got up, and turned around. "Put up a good show tomorrow, I will _not_ allow your failure to affect me." He then jumped off the roof.

Naruto looked at Sakura and raised an eyebrow. "Was that Sasuke-speak for wishing us luck?" Sakura narrowed her eyes in thought. "...I _think_ so."


	4. Chapter 4

The Golden Revenant, Chapter Four: Sins of the Father

Naruto and Sakura showed up at training ground three a couple hours after dawn, and were met by a very annoyed Sasuke. "Why are you guys late!?"

Naruto shrugged. "Sensei made us wait yesterday, if he wants me to be punctual he'll have to provide the same courtesy. I don't abide by hypocrisy. Besides, it doesn't look like he's here anyway."

Sasuke looked at the sky, judging by the sun's position and their sensei's track record, he guessed they had a little over an hour before he'd arrive.

Kakashi arrived almost three hours later. Sasuke was livid, but said nothing.

Kakashi pulled out an alarm clock, and began setting it. "Alright, the rules are such: I have two bells." He shook the items in question, they tinkled a bit before settling at his waist.

"You have until lunchtime to obtain them, and if you fail my test... Well, let's just say that your teacher will have some familiar faces in his classroom next year and leave it at that."

Kakashi turned around to place the alarm clock, and when he turned back the Genin were gone. He smirked under his mask, and scanned the tree line.

He sensed two chakra signatures, one amongst the bushes and the other behind a tree. He knew that the one in the tree was likely Sasuke, but only based on his behaviour. He just couldn't see the Uchiha heir crawling around in the dirt.

He couldn't sense Naruto, which meant he was either regulating his chakra or left the immediate area. Kakashi assumed the latter, as perfectly blending your chakra to your environment is at the very least a Chuunin level technique. He kept his book in its pocket anyway, it just wouldn't do to be caught unaware by a Genin.

A flurry of shuriken flew toward Kakashi, who slid to the side the instant before they hit. Sasuke leaped from the tree and sent more shuriken flying. Sakura chose that moment to spring from her hiding place.

Kakashi took the shuriken to the chest, and Sakura made a grab for the bells. They poofed away proving that Kakashi had used kawarimi. Sasuke landed roughly, and Sakura huffed. They caught each other's eyes and nodded curtly. Working together seemed to be the best plan at the moment.

Kakashi observed this placidly from his perch in the trees, he was growing increasingly suspicious at Naruto's absence. Still, the other Genin seemed to have gotten the right idea. If they can actually work together, they might pass this little test.

Kakashi peeked at the clock, roughly twenty minutes to go. Still no sign of Naruto, but that would have to wait. Sakura noticed him, and yelled for Sasuke.

In response Sasuke made a few hand signs and sent a fireball at Kakashi. The fireball collided with a water jutsu sent by Kakashi, scalding water splashed over Sasuke. Leaving him scalded and wet.

"First lesson: Ninjutsu. Fire is strong against wind, but weak against water." Sasuke gave him a 'You think?' look. Kakashi looked around for Sakura, but she seemed to disappear as well. Sasuke threw more shuriken at Kakashi, but only managed to strike the log he left behind.

Kakashi was in the trees again, and caught a flash of pink nearer to the river. He decided to pay her a visit. He dropped from the trees and sank into the ground after a few hand signs.

He moved toward her, and reached up to grab her. All he got was a handful of nothing. "Bunshin." Kakashi pulled himself out of the earth and looked around. Sakura was there, and so were a few more bunshin.

They rushed him, but Kakashi was ready. Kakashi blocked a strike by Sakura and while he was distracted the 'clone' in front of him made a grab for the bells. The startled Kakashi kicked it away, revealing it to be Naruto using henge.

Kakashi stepped back, but kept them both in view. "Impressive, I didn't even hear you move. Damned impressive." Naruto smirked. "Still, it didn't work and now I know what to expect."

Naruto crossed his arms. "You think I'd try the same trick twice?" Kakashi shrugged. "Maybe not, but it would be daft to dismiss the threat entirely." Kakashi fell forward then poofed into a log with a kunai in the back.

Sasuke jumped down from the trees in the distance, he looked extremely displeased. Sakura stopped Naruto as he passed her. "How much time do we have left?" Naruto shrugged. "As much as we can get away with." He jogged into the woods and vanished.

Sakura heard running from behind her, and Sasuke's voice called out to her. "What's next?" Sakura turned around to see Sasuke looking at her with an annoyed expression on his face. "Find Kakashi, what else?"

The moment she looked at 'Sasuke' Sakura was grabbed from behind. Sakura looked down and saw a hand around her ankle."Lesson two: Genjutsu. Never take anything at face value, as my sensei would say 'Look underneath the underneath'"

Kakashi pulled her into the ground, and out of the clearing. He taped her mouth shut and took her form. "Case in point." Sakura glared up at him, her head just barely sticking out of the ground.

Kakashi, disguised as Sakura, ran back to the clearing. Naruto was busy setting the clock back, Kakashi walked over to him. Naruto turned around and smiled. "Nice try." Kakashi frowned. "How did you guess?"

As he poofed back Naruto laughed. "Three reasons: One, Sakura wouldn't have came here unless she wanted to talk, and if she did she wouldn't wait for me to finish. Two, I know Sakura's current medical state. She has several recent injuries, you exhibited only the most obvious. Three, I guessed. Mostly three to be honest."

Naruto never took his eyes off Kakashi. The two just stood there waiting for the other to make a move, neither did. After about five minutes Sasuke ran out of the woods and attacked Kakashi. He responded by blocking with a kunai and kicking him away.

Kakashi glanced back at Naruto and noted that he was gone. Sasuke slashed at him with a kunai which he deflected easily, he then kicked behind himself on the off chance Naruto was making a go at the bells. It paid off, but only barely. The kick only grazed Naruto's side.

Naruto shakily regained his footing, his breathing was ragged and he was groping around at his ribs "Not broken, but potentially bruised." Naruto struggled, but only barely managed to take a few deep breaths. He then plopped right back down to the ground and smiled. "Alright, you win Kakashi. I'm out."

Sasuke was livid. He was tired, in pain, and low on chakra but he refused to give up. That Naruto would do so proved to Sasuke that he was no true ninja. Sasuke put all his strength into a wild kunai swing, Kakashi just stepped out of the way and he tumbled to the ground.

Sasuke growled and struggled to get up, Kakashi just stepped on his back and held him down. "You three are kind of pathetic." He pointed at Naruto. "You gave up the moment you met real resistance, and didn't even try to attack me."

He stomped down on Sasuke a little bit to get his attention. "You never even got close to getting the bells, Sakura and Naruto got closer than any other Genin I've tested. You just blindly attacked me, it should have been apparent from the start that doing so would get you nowhere. Yet you foolishly and stubbornly kept at it."

He looked over toward where he left Sakura. "Sakura put up a good fight, and showed a willingness to work with others. Of the three of you she is probably the most suited to being a ninja, though you guys show some promise."

Kakashi scratched at his headband in thought. "I don't know if promise is enough though. Then again you seem receptive to the _idea _of teamwork, if a little unskilled at actually doing so, and as I said collectively got closer than anyone else."

Kakashi sighed and looked up at the sky. After a moment Kakashi looked down at them and smiled. "Alright, you fail! But, you can stay Genin... For the time being anyway." With that he poofed away.

Sasuke was downright furious, but got up and dusted himself off. He glared at Naruto. "If you hadn't..." He was asleep. Sasuke thought about kicking him for a moment, before dismissing it as too much of a hassle.

In the end he just decided to leave, he needed to train more. He promised himself that he wouldn't be humiliated like this again.


End file.
